U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,201 has a balloon with electrodes to delivery radio frequency energy attached to the balloon for treatment of the endometrium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,470 has a regulated heating device with a balloon having electrodes for delivery of radio frequency energy to the endometrium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,720 has a method of making a balloon with electrodes attached thereto including use of sheet or curing a coating on a mandrel to form the balloon to carry electrodes or sensors.
The method of manufacture for the expandable balloon includes casting silicone elastomer dispersion over the radio frequency electrodes and allowing the dispersion to remain volatile for an extended period of time before curing and completing the balloon assembly. The casting process embeds the electrodes in a consistent wall thickness of elastomer. The electrosurgical electrodes are not well captured by the balloon during inflation of the electrode containing balloon within the uterus. The casting process also produces a minimum wall thickness of the elastomer which may be too thick and makes the balloon bulky when it is folded down and placed into the delivery sheath of the device. As a result, product yields have been low due to electrode dislocation on the balloon surface during fold down into the sheath. Average production throughput times are estimated in days to complete the balloon casting and assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,377 has a balloon with an electrode there inside which heats therethrough.